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"Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science", 2007, page 73
The Sleep and the Mental Health
The function of sleep has always fascinated scientists, while remaining something of a biological mystery. Fundamental questions about it remain to be clarified. From a neurophysiological point of view, it is a specific state of brain alertness.
Brain studies are not necessary for us to know that adequate sleep is necessary in order for people to remain alert and awake: clearly, the functions of sleep are essential to life. Researchers are unanimous that while many bodily functions can recover during wakefulness, only sleep can restore cortical functions (Horne, 2000).
Sleep quality is closely related to well-being, poor sleep can also have a negative impact on mood (Poelstra, 1984) and behaviour (Dahl and Puig-Antich, 1990). Latent sleep disorders can in some cases result in psychological symptoms (Reite, 1998). In adults, daytime sleepiness is related to impairments in work and social life, increased disorders, and increases risks such as of motor vehicle accidents (Ohayon et al., 1997).
Studies, from the behavioural to the molecular level, suggest that sleep contributes to memory formation in humans and other mammals (Maquet, 2001). Sleep was first implicated in learning and neural plasticity with studies performed on animals, which showed a correlation between the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and performance on a learned task (Smith, 1996).
Recent studies in humans provided evidence for a critical involvement of slow wave sleep and associated slow EEG oscillations in the consolidation of memories and underlying neural plasticity (Huber et al., 2004, Marshall et al., 2006).
Brain studies are not necessary for us to know that adequate sleep is necessary in order for people to remain alert and awake: clearly, the functions of sleep are essential to life. Researchers are unanimous that while many bodily functions can recover during wakefulness, only sleep can restore cortical functions (Horne, 2000).
Sleep quality is closely related to well-being, poor sleep can also have a negative impact on mood (Poelstra, 1984) and behaviour (Dahl and Puig-Antich, 1990). Latent sleep disorders can in some cases result in psychological symptoms (Reite, 1998). In adults, daytime sleepiness is related to impairments in work and social life, increased disorders, and increases risks such as of motor vehicle accidents (Ohayon et al., 1997).
Studies, from the behavioural to the molecular level, suggest that sleep contributes to memory formation in humans and other mammals (Maquet, 2001). Sleep was first implicated in learning and neural plasticity with studies performed on animals, which showed a correlation between the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and performance on a learned task (Smith, 1996).
Recent studies in humans provided evidence for a critical involvement of slow wave sleep and associated slow EEG oscillations in the consolidation of memories and underlying neural plasticity (Huber et al., 2004, Marshall et al., 2006).
"Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science", 2007, page 73
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